Large files such as media files (e.g. audio, video, audio/video files and the like), are typically compressed for ease of storage and/or transmission. For example, the proliferation of the Internet as a communication medium has enabled users to access and play many different types of media files. Typically, these files are quite large and, as a result, are compressed so that they can be adequately transmitted over a network without consuming too much network bandwidth. On the client end, such files are typically received, stored and/or rendered by a media player. The rendering process typically involves uncompressing the compressed bits of the media file and then rendering the uncompressed bits on a suitable media player.
Many times, it would be desirable to impart, to a compressed file, such as a media file, other useful features in addition to the information that the file contains. For example, advertisers would benefit by being able to associate advertising information with particular media files such as video files. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able, in some instances, to do “voice overs” on certain audio files. Currently, however, there is no simple known way to do this in a straight forward, easily implemented manner.
Accordingly, this invention arose out of concerns associated with providing methods and systems for manipulating compressed files.